It’s probably no secret that ever since the low-carb weight loss diet approach was published, arguably the most visible proponent was Dr. Robert Atkins was; The medical profession in general was not affected. In fact, it might be suggested that many doctors, researchers, and government agencies go out of their way to try to convince us to disregard such an approach to weight loss. Study after study was presented as evidence and in support of their position. There was so much negative information in the media that it eventually became a weight loss regimen that participants could not openly talk about following. It just wasn’t socially acceptable. It seems to be a common way of suppressing anything that is not the status quo.
But something happened along the way that things started to change. Proponents of low-carb weight loss actually lose weight; lots of it. They kept their weight off and started showing signs of other health benefits like lower cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure results, less glycemic attacks etc. The pressure on the medical establishment began to build, and calls for more bone-based research reached a high pitch. Over time, these calls resulted in an increasing number of studies showing that the dietary approach may have some validity. It was a beginning.
With over 60% of Americans overweight or obese and a significant number of us suffering from associated chronic disease such as diabetes and heart disease, the importance of providing safe, effective weight loss methods is critical. It seems that most diets fail. My belief is that our inability to persevere, the demands placed on us by our personal and professional lives, and the lack of long-term results are major contributors to this failure. An approach that is not severely restrictive with regard to food choices provides early weight loss success in exchange for some advance buy-in into the plan for a few weeks and can account for, predict, and help resolve plateaus. .
In fact, Gary Foster, director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University in Philadelphia, was recently quoted as saying, “We are past the time when we used to say that the Atkins diet is bad for you. This is an old situation. It is a viable option for weight loss,
It is important to point out here that any approach that helps you lose weight safely, and when reviewed by your health care professional, is very beneficial and worth considering. Some are more applicable to your lifestyle and preferences. If so then follow them.
It should be your hope and objective that the initial weight loss will translate into a complete lifestyle change. Let’s face it, it’s our eating habits and lifestyle that have created the problem in the first place, unless a specific medical condition is the culprit. It is my opinion that ultimately if there are no lifestyle changes, there is no long term weight loss and no weight loss maintenance. Welcome to the infamous “weight loss roller coaster,” which has been reported to be dangerous to your health in itself.
Recently, a summary of 17 studies following more than 1,100 obese individuals following a low-carb weight loss approach provided some very interesting observations. On average, these dieters lost about 18 pounds over the course of 6 – 12 months. In the worst case, that averages out to 1.5 pounds a month over the course of a year. Who wouldn’t sign up for that advance?
It may seem like our dieters improved their body shape by shedding inches around their waists, but that’s not all. They also saw improvements in other categories. Specifically, areas such as blood pressure, blood sugar, blood fats and good cholesterol were improved while bad cholesterol (LDL) did not change. The bottom line is that by improving heart disease and other risk factors, our dieters were getting healthier. Isn’t it everything?
I know that the medical profession is a dedicated, often selfless group of people. They are committed to safeguarding our better well-being in addition to doing nothing difficult for us and healing our ailments. Now, to some extent, science is catching up to the low-carb weight loss lifestyle. I wish more physicians would take a second look at this research so that those of us who follow this approach become more mainstream; To spread the good news to as many people as possible who will be benefitted as a result.
